Study: Aspirin Modestly Slows Return of Polyps in Colon Cancer Patients

Dartmouth Medical School researchers are expected to report in April that use of aspirin with colon cancer patients modestly slows the return of precancerous polyps after their removal.

Dr. John Baron of Dartmouth cautioned that the controlled study of aspirin, which large population studies have suggested reduces the incidence of precancerous polyps, did not show it to be "a magic bullet."

But, he said, "the idea that aspirin is effective opens the door for the COX-2 agents" like Vioxx and Celebrex, drugs currently being used to treat arthritis which are also being studied in a number of ongoing colon cancer trials.

The drugs block production of the chemical COX-2 which, in addition to causing the pain and inflammation of arthritis, is believed to feed the growth of cancer.

Dr. Ernest Hawk, chief of gastrointestinal research at the National Cancer Institute, said his agency believes the growing body of evidence from a variety of studies suggests that COX-2 agents will indeed be found to significantly help in the battle against colorectal cancer.

"I can't think of any class of drugs that have this much going for them, especially in colon cancer," said Hawk.

Other sources: AP, Dartmouth